Malaria Microscropy Training Center Opens

After nearly a year’s preparation, The Sumba Foundation has unofficially opened the Malaria Microscropy Training Centre in Waikabubak, Sumba.

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After nearly a year’s preparation, The Sumba Foundation has unofficially opened the Malaria Microscropy Training Centre in Waikabubak, Sumba.

The centre will be officially opened during the month of May by the Bupati for West Sumba.

The training centre was developed with the support of Goldman Sachs (Asia) Charitable Contributions Committee, who provided the initial funding to establish the centre.

The centre is housed in rented premises in the centre of Waikabubak, West Sumba and has been developed according to World Health Organisation (WHO) standards for malaria microscopy training and certification.

Sixteen students can be trained at the centre which uses state of the art Nikon microscropes and standardised blood slides. These slides have been prepared with the assistance of the United States Navy’s medical research unit in Jakarta – NAMRU 2 and the Eijkman Institute.

The training program includes theoretical training in the malaria biology and transmission cycle, as well as microscopy diagnosis and national treament guidelines.

The Sumba Foundation’s Health Program Director, Dr Claus Bogh said he was absolutely delighted to have the training centre opened and taking the first students.

“The first 13 students took their final examination on April 30, 2010 and 12 passed, seven at WHO expert level and five at WHO reference level.

“The results are as good as we had hoped for and testament to the quality of the training conducted at the centre.”

Dr Bogh said this first batch of students were Sumba Foundation staff who will be using their training at the Foundation’s malaria clinics and as assistant trainers at the centre.

The photo at left shows Andy reading bar code labels on slides for use at the training centre.

The photo at right shows the first batch of students sweating over their final exams at the training centre in Waikabubak.

The photo below shows Dr Claus Bogh and two US Navy malaria experts (Awalludin Sutamihardja and Lenny Ekawati) with the students from the Malaria Microscopy Training Centre.